Vehicle-cover and support therefor



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VBHIGLE COVER AND SUPPORT THBRBPOR.

Patented Apr. 17, 1894'.

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(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 17, 1894.

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VEHICLE COVER AND SUPPORT THEREPOR.

No. 518,376. 4 Patented Apr. 17,1894.

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UNITED STAT-Es PATENT '.Orriczn.

JOHN HENRY RAU, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

VEHICLE-COVER AND SUPPORT THERlFOR SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,376, dated April 17,1894. Application med December so, 1893. serial No. 495,257. or@ motel.)

To ctZZ whom it may con/carni Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY RAU, a citiv zenof the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Covers and -Supports Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of vehicle- 1o covers in which an open-bottom canopy having collapsing sides or curtains is used to let down over the'carriage or other vehicle and properly envelop it, in order to exclude dust and prevent exposure to other damage; and

r 5 1t consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 1s a front elevation showing my peculiarly supported cover as it appears applied to a buggy, the latter being shown in dotted lines,

and one lower corner of the cover broken open and in section to bring clearly to view I the curtain drop-Slat; Fig. 2,abirdseye view or perspective-plan of my invention; Fig. 3

an end elevation showing the supported-cover (seen in Fig. l),fully raised in its closed condition, with the vehicle omitted; Fig. 4, a rear elevation of my invention, showing theV end opposite to that seen in Fig. l; Fig. 5, a perspective view of my improvements complete, 1n use over a buggy; Fig. 6, a broken 'detail perspective, showing one end of the travelerapparatus for supporting and operating the and Fig. 7, a broken detail perspective of the other end of said traveler-apparatus, both views (6 and 7) being on alarger scale than the preceding ones, in order to more clearly show the parts.

4o A represents the ground or floor, and B, the ceiling or over-head joists, of a building in which carriages or other vehicles are kept.

C represents a rectangular canopy or cover made of any suitable, flexible material that will readily fold, and comprising a horizontal top c, with fore, rear, and longitudinal-side curtains c', c2, and c3, c3, respectively, all of which are preferably closed at their opposite ends to form the four corners `or angles of said 5o canopy. The top c is ystretched. or mounted track wires e', e.

on an open, rectangular frame'O, (best seen in Fig. 2,) and the lower ends of said curtains are each provided with an inner, horizontal, narrow slat a, as shown in dotted lines Figs. l, 4 and 5, and in sectioninsaid Fig. l. These 55 narrow=slats stiften the curtains along their bottom edges and facilitate the several operations of raising and lowering them. The fore-curtain c is provided with narrow vertical slots b, open a suitable distance from the 6o bottom upward, for the ready reception of the projecting buggy-shafts b', when said cover is let down or dropped in place over the vehicle, thus materially shortening the necessary length of said cover. DD, D2, and D3, respectively, represent hoisting ropes or lines rove through a vertical series of small holes or eyes d made in each of said curtains intermediate their ends. The lower ends of these ropes are secured to 7o the slatted bottoms of said curtains, and pass upward into and through guide-eyes d 0n a traveler or carrier-frame E, the latter having upright loops e which slide or engage over l These track-wires are stretched between screw-devices e2securod to the ceiling or joists B, and are disposed over the carriage-house to suit the place or places adapted to accommodate the vehicle.

Traveler E is composed of a longitudinal 8o bar or reach l, on which is mounted a central transverse-bar 2, and end transverse-bars 3 and 4, said central cross-bar'2 having at its opposite ends the guide-eyes d', through which pass the said side-ropes D,D,and'said 8 5 cross-bars 3 and 4 having the upright, trackengaging or suspension loops e, the bar 3 having preferablya series of lateral pulleys 5, 6, v 7, and 8, over which pass the several hoistingropes D, D', D2, D3, respectively, (said ropes) being each attached at their ends to a cross-bar or block 9, a single Voperating pull-rope 10 being attached at one end to the center of said bar 9 and passing thence over a pendent pulley cl2 at one side the center of 9 5 cross-bar 4, the end-rope D*k passing through pendent-loop d at the other side the center l of said bar 4. The outer end of pull-rope 10 is provided with a suitable handle 11, and

.may lead to a cleat or hook (not shown) for Ioo the latter 9o boy) 7 (best seen in Eig. 5)

ready fastening when the cover is raised from use over the Vehicle, or the saidpulley dz may have an ordinary automatic catch-sheave i therein whereby the pull-rope may be firmly held at any point.

F represents each one of four vertical ropes by which thetop of cover C is suspended from the traveler E, thereby taking the strain or Weight of the `entire cover o the hoistingropes, especially when said cover is down in place enveloping a vehicle. These suspension-ropes F may be of any length to suit the height of ceiling, and thus readily enable the use of my device in stables of different heights, and, if desired, the cover may thereby have a second raising as it can be drawn up bodily (top and collapsed or closed curtains), as best seen `in Fig. 3, to suit and clear higher `vehicles.

`In the operation of my cover and carrier,it will be seen that the pulley arrangement, adapts the ropes to be duly concentrated in one cross-bar, which latter need `have but the single draw-rope 10, that is very readily manipulated (even by a and can be led o to any convenient point of attachment with great facility. It Will also be seen that, the traveler supports the pulley and rope mechanism as well as the cover, and thus, mounted on the track-wires,

as stated, enable both said cover and hoisting devices to be brought over a vehicle in any convenient position in the carriage-house.

1. In a vehicle-cover, the combination with cover A composed of top c, end and side curtains c', c2, c3, c3, and curtain hoisting-ropes D, D', D2, D3, of a traveler or carrier-frame E, and suspension guide track-wires e', e', said traveler being composed of a longitudinal reach 1, and crossbars 2, 3,4, having suspension-loops e, guide eyes or loops cl,pulleys 5, 6, 7, 8, draft-block 9, pull-rope 10, pulley d2, and cover 4suspension ropes F, the whole being constructed,arranged, and adapted to be operated, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A vehicle-cover composed of a rectangular stretched top c, C', side and end drop-curtains c',e2,o3,c3, at the four edges of saidtop, 5o

.slats a at the bottom ot' each curtain, and

hoisting-ropes leading from said slatted-bottoms through said curtains to a suitable pulley mechanism above, and the fore drop-curtain c having narrow, vertical, open slots b, 55 substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN HENRY BAU. Witnesses:

JOHN E. J oNEs,

C. C. MACBRAIR. 

